DGFlake
Ioannina, the vibrant capital of Epirus, is rapidly emerging as a hub for tourism, business, and new residents. On one hand, Ioannina is thriving—but on the other, this rapid expansion is contributing to a rising greenhouse gas phenomenon across its urban, semi-urban, and peri-urban areas, ultimately impacting the quality of life for its inhabitants.
Adding to the challenge is the city’s iconic lake, a breathtaking landmark that plays a vital role in Ioannina’s identity. However, the lake faces significant environmental pressures. Due to eutrophication, it emits large amounts of methane—a powerful greenhouse gas that significantly amplifies the greenhouse effect. The pollution stems from multiple sources, including business operations, farming runoff, and the toll of lake-based tourism activities, exacerbating the issue.
The DGFLake solution empowers local communities to create a social behavior change toolkit that transforms data into impactful policies and actionable interventions. By involving citizens, businesses, and policymakers, DFGlake creates a shared vision for a sustainable, climate-neutral city.
Co-Creation at Its Core
Workshops, capacity-building activities, and an AI-powered Social Lab bring together diverse stakeholders to co-design adaptable solutions. These interventions revolve around cutting-edge in-water and environmental IoT stations and dynamic data visualizations, designed to monitor and reduce lake emissions. Open data sharing and crowd-sourced innovation amplify the project’s impact, fostering greater awareness and deeper community engagement.
Through this collaboration, DFGlake builds a vibrant learning community of local actors—from citizens to academia—who can adapt green solutions to their own contexts, creating a ripple effect of environmental awareness and action.
Data for Action: Harnessing Insights to Drive Change
DFGlake leverages advanced data collection and analysis to tackle challenges like lake eutrophication, smog prediction, and carbon footprint reduction. With the involvement of academic researchers, stakeholders test AI-optimized models to address these issues and co-create community-led behavioral changes.
Local businesses also play a pivotal role, sharing innovative solutions such as the PINDOS agricultural cooperative’s biogas reactors, Vikos’ Industry 4.0 initiatives, and Zagori’s water treatment projects. These examples highlight how data can fuel circular economy approaches while contributing to environmental and economic goals.
Citizen-Led Innovation: Sensors, Rewards, and Shared Responsibility
To promote widespread participation, DFGlake deploys portable sensors on bicycles, allowing citizens and tourists to contribute real-time environmental data. These efforts will feed into a “Citizen Wallet” system, which tracks eco-friendly behavior and rewards individuals with tangible benefits like tax reductions.
In addition, a scalable IoT platform hosts collected data and delivers real-time insights through intuitive dashboards. Four permanent sensor stations and mobile air quality sensors monitor critical metrics like lake health, air quality, and waste levels. By ensuring transparency and usability, the platform equips municipal leaders with the tools to make evidence-based decisions.
AI Social Lab: A Hub for Innovation
At the heart of DFGlake is the AI Social Lab, a repository of AI models designed to utilize the collected data for actionable predictions and recommendations. This innovative space provides businesses, researchers, and citizens with tools to explore solutions, test models, and contribute to the community’s shared environmental goals.
Sustainable Solutions for the Future
With operational support guaranteed for five years post-project, DFGlake ensures the longevity and scalability of its infrastructure. Secure data collection and analysis processes build trust and reliability, allowing AI models to evolve and address future challenges seamlessly.
The result? A climate-smart, CO2-neutral Ioannina that thrives on open innovation, collaboration, and empowered citizens. By combining cutting-edge technology with community-driven action, DFGlake sets a new standard for creating greener, smarter cities.
Websites
DGFLake: soon available
Bikewise: https://www.bikewise.ai/
Future Intelligence: https://www.f-in.gr/
